Tim Howard thinks it is "pretty cool" that football fever is gripping fans across the pond, reports The Sun. Howard and Co were outraged on Friday after they had a winner chalked off against Slovenia.

Their mood has been shared by the American public, who are up in arms about the decision.

And Everton stopper Howard is chuffed that the Yank fans are waking up to the game.

He said: "Things are starting to leak into our training camp. People are up in arms and they can't believe the call.

"That's pretty cool. That's special because most people who are soccer fans, that's kind of like a small detail of that game."

Howard added: "It was so up and down and obviously it ended up being a deciding factor, but at the end of the day it was just a referee's call.

"For people, particularly our American fans back home, to be so up in arms about it does show that they care.

"And it also shows they are getting hip to the game and starting to understand how it all works."